Story:Kings of Strife/Part 42
Part Forty-Two Now that he had the Crystal of Fire back in his possession, Vik started to wear a handcrafted eyepatch over his right eye once again. He had control of his power, as long as he wasn’t under extreme duress, but there was still a possibility that the object he now kept in a backpack on his person at all times could trigger something he wasn’t prepared for. Vik knew that he would never be able to live with himself if he somehow hurt his sister or his home without control over himself. Rosaria saw him, two days later, as she came home from a lesson in the city. She dropped her books onto the table and walked over to her brother with joy, and happily embraced the stoic figure standing in the dark lounge, watching out a tall window. When she hugged him, she noticed the eyepatch, and her expression darkened with worry. “What is that, Vik? Did you hurt yourself?” “No,” her brother responded after some time. “My eye aches sometimes. This helps the pain and keeps my vision from faltering.” “So you did hurt yourself,” Rosaria asserted. She crossed her arms and raised her chin into the air slightly. “Don’t lie to me, brother!” Vik turned and looked Rosaria over. She was dressed smartly in a conservative uniform-like assembly with a light skirt, and he hair was prepared equally well. He felt a protective surge of energy once he realized that his sister was attractive, and it was his job to protect her – or was that the energy of the Crystal returned to him? “I wouldn’t lie to you, Rosaria. Are your lessons finished for today? What will you be doing later?” It had begun to dawn on him that Vik knew nothing of his family’s habits, and despite spending most of his time sitting around the mansion in despair, he was incredibly bored. Exploring the forest was still not an option for him. “What? Well, I suppose I was going to read some, or maybe take a nap. I’ll cook later, and Father’s meeting a guest tonight.” “A guest?” Vik turned with interest. “Yeah… They should be here pretty soon, actually. We should head upstairs.” Rosaria started to gather her belongings. “He doesn’t like it when anyone is around him as he works.” Now Vik could remember what his father had said the last time they talked. ‘Working for the sake of Nneoh.’ Had he become a politician, or was he speaking with military men? These days, the two occupations were one and the same. Vik had a sneaking feeling in his heart, though, that his father was getting entrenched in forces he did not understand. “I think I’ll stick around for it,” he decided out loud. Rosaria looked up to her older brother with concern. “What are you saying? Do you want to anger Father more? He’s just starting to recover from your return!” “No, but I want to speak with him anyway. There’s something I might have to do.” “What? You’re not going anywhere again, are you?” Rosaria gripped onto Vik’s sleeve lightly, looking at him with clear concern. She was hardly ever transparent with her feelings, except for when it came to her brother. “Don’t be stupid, Vik. You know how he gets.” The elder Hyusei paused, but did not falter. “Let me ask you something, Rosaria. What is it you want to do with your life the most?” Vik looked down to his sister with his exposed left eye, and within him swirled a new but familiar form of resignation. She wouldn’t be able to dissuade him. The younger Hyusei shivered and averted her gaze. “I don’t know. I’m thinking of going into political science and government, or maybe history. But… mostly, I want to help you.” She looked meekly up to her brother. “Or Father. Anyone I love, really.” Vik couldn’t help himself from scoffing. Her answer sounded as if she wanted to save him from the affliction of his own ego and ambition. Idly, he wondered where the spite in his heart was coming from. “You’re reminding me of Father, Vik. That’s… Are you alright?” He was going to reply “Of course I am,” but the loud grumble of a truck engine started to grow close to the door. Both the Hyusei children looked to the heavy wooden door of the mansion, recognizing the approaching noise as their father, and looked back at each other. Rosaria gave her brother another harsh probing look before hurriedly going up the stairs near the foyer. Now Vik was alone for a minute or two until his father and their guest arrived. He went into the formal dining area behind the foyer and started to set out the tableware, deciding that he would not be initially antagonistic. Truth be told, Vik didn’t know exactly what he was hoping to learn here, nor did he really think listening in on his father’s business meeting was realistic or productive. But he had an instinctual urge to be there, one he hadn’t felt since he fled Vainia’s ship at the Battle of Icarun. Last time his instincts had saved his life. There was no reason to ignore them now. The door opened and shut, and Vik could hear the casual chat of his father and another man roughly equal in age. A dark smile crept onto Vik’s visage, accentuated by determination and readiness. The only Hyusei son set out two sets of silverware across from each other, and his own in between them, as well as a few pieces of room temperature bread and water goblets. It was a start. He sat, and awaited the arrival of the two adults. His father always received guests in the formal dining room; rarely did they go up the stairs, and rarer still did they reach his father’s study in the third floor. The door opened, and his father walked in smiling at a Serpent Knight. Vik stood up in a huff, his mouth agape and his hands crushed into fists. The smug smile he had been breeding faded instantly. “You… What are you doing here?!” He was almost speechless, and in that moment Vik was glad for the eyepatch covering his right eye and protecting the entire mansion from burning to the ground. His father looked at him quizzically. “That’s my question, Vikcent. Since when are you even awake during this hour?” The gray-haired man frowned and crossed his arms. “Excuse my son, Mr. Kaiser. He doesn’t know his place.” Beside Vik’s father, the Black Knight stood in a casual outfit of grey alongside a black longcoat, and he wore black sunglasses over his eyes. Although he had shades obscuring his eyes and his beard was shaven into a much more manageable state, he was instantly recognizable to Vik. The two would never forget each other’s faces. The Knight smiled slyly, and Vik could practically feel his beady bright eyes staring right at him. “It’s nothing, Sir Hyusei. Children will be children.” Vinum sighed and sat at the table. “This child is just foolish. Vik, what are these plates out here for?” His son didn’t sit or break eye contact with the Black Knight, even as the man sat opposite his father. “I was going to eat with our servants, but I haven’t summoned them yet. That doesn’t matter right now. What are you doing with this man?” “What?” His father looked up to him with irritated eyes as he pulled a flask from the pocket of his own coat. “I’m conducting business with Mr. Kaiser. It doesn’t concern you. Now, away from us! Hasn’t your sister taught you anything?” “I’m not leaving,” Vik said as he sat down slowly. He was beginning to understand what was going on. This was a situation that his father had willingly gotten himself into with the intent of political advancement… but there was no way he knew just who this ‘Mr. Kaiser’ was. Vik had to do something about it. He had to. Then, Vik had another realization – the Knight was possibly drawn here because of the Crystal. He was tracking it. Either way, Vik could not leave his father alone with this villain. “I won’t tell you again, Vik. Leave.” “No, no,” the Knight cut in after sipping his water. “It’s fine. You should really be more compassionate, Sir Hyusei.” The gray-haired man looked to his business partner with a look of disinterest. “Besides, what we speak of will be incomprehensible to your son. Either he will learn and be useful to us, or he will be a charming host to our little dinner. Surely you have no issues with this?” Begrudgingly, Vinum Hyusei drank his goblet of water and started to pour his flask’s liquor into it. The Knight disguised as Kaiser started to speak. “That eyepatch, son. Were you injured in your tour of duty?” ‘Tour of duty? Is that what Father says I was doing, to his friends?’ Vik glanced to the elder Hyusei, who was looking his son over as if for the first time. It likely was the first time that his father noticed the eyepatch. “Yes, I was. The pain comes and goes. This helps my vision.” The Knight nodded sagely at this response, and made nothing more of it. If anything, Vik admitted, Mr. Kaiser was good at his acting. “And yet the child is still blind,” Vinum murmured. He shook his head as if to attempt dismissing the subject of his son. “Back to what you were saying, Mr. Kaiser. The Crystal Thief from Inusia has been caught? That one soldier from the war?” “Yes, he was captured at Icarun. What a mess that was! But anyway, his crimes have been so damning that he isn’t even receiving a trial. Can you believe that? His execution is in about two months.” “As it should be. I’ve grown tired of Inusia making a farce out of themselves lately. Maybe this will bring some hubris back to that country’s name, and maybe that’ll intimidate Nneoh into getting its own act together” “Indeed, although it seems High Lord General Maebyss is quite serious this time. Not to mention the mess with our own General Garland. I’ve heard other, more pressing news, too…” “Tell me, Kaiser.” “Of course, we will be practicing incredible secrecy. You know I cherish the friendship we have, Hyusei, including the benefits we give each other.” Vinum looked to his guest with a scowl. “Cut the bullshit, Kaiser. I’m not telling anyone and my fool of a son doesn’t have anyone to speak to. What did you hear?” “The King and Queen of Mortis – you know them, Mateulikus the Fool and his sterile wife, of course? Right. They agreed to handing their daughter over to Inusian hands, on the condition that their country is left alone.” Vinum laughed wholeheartedly. “The rulers of Mortis making demands and ultimatums? They’d be lucky if they weren’t executed right alongside their daughter. She declared war against the entire world. Traitors must be dealt with.” Kaiser and Vinum shared a laugh, and then a drink. “What a joke this world is,” Vinum Hyusei continued once he swallowed down his clear liquor. “It’s far too overdue for us to take control of it. This generation is a disappointment, in more ways than one.” The old soldier looked to his son, who was staring at the table, dumbfounded. Vinum shook his head and stood. “Excuse me, Kaiser. I’m going to the restroom.” “Yes, of course, Hyusei, take your time. Don’t worry – I was gone for a while, but now I’m back.” The man known as Kaiser wove the older man’s courtesies away and took another sip from his cup. By the time he finished, Vinum Hyusei had left the dining room and closed the door behind him. The Black Knight immediately looked over to Vik. “You won’t be going anywhere, of course.” Vik was one step away from being shocked silent, but he still glanced up to his oppressor with black hatred in his heart. “I’ll kill you. I’ll kill all of you. Nobody is getting executed.” “No, son, you won’t kill me. I’ll be doing the killing. If I find out you took one step outside this nice house of yours, I’ll kill your father, your maids, and your sister. And I’ll personally make sure your friend Silverius suffocates on his entrails.” Immediately, the Knight’s frigid eyes flashed with light and started to glow with the golden Tyrant Eyes. “Do you think I wouldn’t know? I’ll see you. I’ll know.” Vik froze. His own right eye began to tingle, but he kept control of himself and forced himself not to shiver. “Why are you keeping me here? Why don’t you just kill me right now?” A smile from the Knight, then a wink of one of his bright eyes. “I’ve got dibs on your death. Remember how L9 didn’t dare kill you, back in the Mirage Tower?” Another hearty laugh from the Knight rebounded around the classy room as he let his face rest on his fist. “You’ll die when I’m good and ready for you to. Until then, it’s easier for you to stay right where I want you to. You’d be smart to comply, considering you don’t even have your Tyrant Eye anymore.” ‘He thinks I’m a prisoner,’ Vik realized. ‘He doesn’t know that I have the Crystal again, or that I have power. He thinks I’m weak.’ There was much that this Knight knew despite the two not seeing each other for weeks, like Vik’s Tyrant Eyes or his fight with the Lance Knight back in the Mirage Desert. It made sense that the Knights communicated with each other. But despite this man’s boasts, he didn’t know of Cidolas’ retrieval of the Crystal, or at least not yet. Vik recalled Cidolas’ cryptic words. “You are the Hero of Flame.” It was his job to keep the Crystal safe, to watch over what was decidedly his. That meant he couldn’t do anything risky, or put his life in danger, despite how hot the flames inside him burned at the thought of his family meeting any harm. “Fine,” Vik finally mumbled from between grit teeth, “I’ll stay here. If you touch my family, I’ll kill you. If you touch Silverius, I’ll kill you. One day I will kill you.” The Black Knight smiled with his teeth and sipped his liquor once more. “We’ll see about that. Don’t worry, I’ll be making business trips here quite frequently.” The Hero of Flame stood slowly. There was much running through his mind, so much that his head felt heavy and his fingers clenched into fists so tightly his knuckles threatened to split, but the strongest thought on his mind was fire. Black fire, licking and burning over the blond Knight’s body until his bones melted and his laugh never existed, until he was erased like a thought seen as heretical, until every threat he ever made was rescinded from reality. Vik struggled to keep these thoughts to himself and out of reality. He could practically feel the nerves behind his right eye popping and trembling. He said nothing and only walked out of the formal dining room, past his returning father wordlessly, and up the stairs to the fourth floor of the mansion. And so he stayed in the mansion, alone and not speaking, and the two months passed. ***** He spent his time wisely, practicing his use and control of the Tyrant Eyes and warming himself up to use of the Flame Crystal once again. The days went by slowly, considering he kept himself sober and focused. He did calisthenics. He memorized every inch of the mansion’s floorplan. He read most of the dull law books in his father’s study when he wasn’t home. Vik did everything except forget. He couldn’t bear to be around his family for too long. His father filled him with black rage that threatened to incite his Tyrant Eye no matter how well he could control it, and the sight of his sister brought back the slimy words of the Black Knight to Vik’s ears without fail. Every day in captivity pained Vik. He knew now that this could never be what he wanted; not staying home like this. For two months Vik was not relaxed in the slightest. He was trapped. Every day he felt painful wanderlust, the need to save his friends and comrades and make good on his word. ‘Silverius. Jütenas. Rosaria. Cidolas. Martessa.’ He repeated the list of names every night before he went to bed. ‘I will save them all.’ Cidolas never visited him, but he thought of them both. Neither of them had to die. Silverius had abandoned reason and his morality for power and revenge. There was a person inside him, a person that Vik had bonded with, despite regrettably striving to bring him to justice forcefully. There was another way to heal a person, and both Rosaria and Jütenas taught it to him: compassion. ‘Comrades don’t leave each other behind.’ His purpose was for others. He had power, and held it to help others. To serve. As painful as it was to admit it, Vik knew his father was right. “A wise man knows when he is a king and when he is a servant.” But even so – was it good to sacrifice himself, if the situation required it, for his country or his friends? Were his comrades in the right for dying in the line of duty? The answer, he realized after days of meditation, was a resounding yes. By the end of the first month, Vik found that he could control the black flames that burst from his Tyrant Eye, namely in the form of manually summoning them. He remembered the fight with the Chosen Knight, in Empiria, and how her bright Tyrant Eyes seemed to give her an edge in battle. It would likely be beneficial, then, for him to manage the vision without burning everything in sight, as stopping the flames once they existed was harder than keeping them from manifesting. He could feel the Crystal changing him. Not just from the lopsided and sometimes blurry vision he obtained from having one normal and one Tyrant eye, but inside him as well. It was like the Crystal was altering his very DNA, making him more aggressive, more ambitious, and easier to anger. Vik didn’t think he enjoyed these changes that much and actively worked to keep his temper – and powers – in check. Halfway through the second month, he achieved the full Tyrant Eyes in the entirety of his vision. Keeping the Eye manifested was a titanic effort that only grew slightly easier with use; it made the nerves behind his eye tingle and eventually lead to migraines. Extended use past this point led to blurry vision, body pains, and even bleeding of the eye. But once he managed to summon a second Tyrant Eye, one night out of nowhere, the process became much easier. The new vision stuck in his eyes without any strain, so smoothly that it was possible for him to forget that they were activated. Their costs were still high and would bring him agony, but now without any painful indicators, making Vik’s job that much harder. But it was worth it. He could feel the power, and the strength of his abilities seemed to double once he became comfortable with having full Tyrant vision. ‘Now I’m ready,’ Vik thought to himself. “Silverius. Jütenas. Rosaria. Cidolas. Martessa.” He said each of their names, as he worked himself into a sweat every day with eyes glowing golden. The two months passed slowly, but they passed. He knew it was time when Cidolas paid him a visit for the first time in two months. Rosaria had come to his room, that day. He sensed her presence – an ability new to him, and only barely refined – and so he was putting his eyepatch back on when she entered. None of his family had noticed the change in his eyesight. None of his family made contact with him that often. It was safer that way, although it made Rosaria’s seeking out of him odd. “Hey, sis.” Vik stood up from his crossed-legs position on the floor and walked over to the wide window in his minimalistic room, tossing his shirt over his shoulder. The bright lights of the far-off city of Shahk shone far-off in the horizon. The sun was going to set soon. “I haven’t seen you in days, Vik. When are you gonna stop holing yourself up here? You’re home now. It’s okay to relax.” Vik chuckled, but his expression was tortured. “I’m afraid it’s not that easy.” Rosaria took a step forward, tossing back her hair, before pausing and holding her arms. “What are you, Vitalis the Eternal?” Vik looked back at her with confusion, and she shrugged. “History thing. Should’ve known. What I meant was that you’ve been really down in the dumps lately. I can tell.” “Can you?” Vik rubbed the scar on his eyebrow and returned his gaze out of the window. “I’ll be fine. Just… it’s weird, being back home, after everything.” “You never told me about exactly what you were doing, out there.” She stepped next to Vik and looked up to him with concern. “Will you? One day, if it isn’t too difficult for you?” She cared about him, Vik realized. Much more than their father. She was concerned, yet mindful of his feelings. ‘When did my brash little sister get so… caring?’ He nodded. “Yes. I will. I promise.” He put on a smile. “You’re being awfully nice. What do you want?” Rosaria punched Vik’s shoulder and laughed. “Is it so hard to imagine I don’t want you getting pale in here all day, jerk?” When the laughter died down, the silence returned, and the sun continued to slowly set. Soon the sky was starting to flash with brushes of orange, pink, and blue. The youngest Hyusei spoke up, finally, and disrupted the peaceful silence. “Do you remember what Mom would say, whenever we got caught wandering around in the forest?” Despite himself, Vik couldn’t help but laugh. “Villalh-khan akhkniak – idiot children! She only ever spoke Traditional when she yelled at us!” He doubled over in laughter at the memory of his short little mother comically beating him and his sister for their mischief. “Even Father was afraid when she started speaking Traditional.” “You were such a bad child, Vik. Always getting smacked on your huge forehead.” “Oh, whatever! You were always the one mouthing off!” After laughing, Vik paused and ran a hand on his forehead. “Huge? It’s not that bad, is it…?” In response, Rosaria breathlessly continued to laugh, and Vik himself followed suit thanks to her contagious giggles. They stood there, in front of the open window during the sunset, and for the first time in months the two smiled together in genuine happiness. Soon the laughter faded and the silence returned, only this time there were tears on Rosaria’s tan cheek that spoke much louder than either of the two could. “The last thing Mom said to me… I still remember. Lekhe maujin va-vrenen naruul; ‘you all have made me happy’. She didn’t even love father like she loved us villalh-khan akhkniak. She was smiling, Vik… It was six years ago, and I still remember it like it was yesterday.” Her voice cracked, and Rosaria covered her mouth with her hand and clenched her tearful eyes shut. Vik had nothing to say. He held his sister close in an embrace, and focused all his energy on not joining her with sorrow. His eyes burned, but tears would not come. “I told myself I wouldn’t cry anymore. Look at me!” She rubbed the wetness out of her red eyes and looked up to her brother with a determined expression and a pouted lip. “Promise me. You’ll tell me about where you went, and what happened to your eye. And your scar. Everything. You’ll do it.” He didn’t hesitate. “I’ve already promised, Rosaria. And I meant it. I’ll tell you about everything, one day. When it’s over.” “Over? Is it… not over?” Rosaria looked back to her brother with concern, but didn’t receive an answer back. Her eyebrows tilted downwards in anger, and she pushed herself out of his arms. “Talk to me, jerk! You’re not leaving again, are you?!” “I don’t know.” Vik looked out to the window, where only purple darkness reigned in the sky, and lowered his head. He wasn’t lying, entirely. The thought had come to him of escaping, and there were various methods he could take to leave without being noticed, but he could not take his family with him out of harm’s way. It was impossible. The two months were almost elapsed, and Vik had to leave. For his family to stay safe, the Black Knight had to die. But was he ready? Rosaria bit her trembling lip and shoved Vik. He didn’t move. “Do you not get what I went through, losing Mom and then you? Do you know what it was like, not knowing if you’d ever come back? Now you’re saying you might go off again, and you won’t even tell me where? What you’re risking your life for?!” Vik looked down and folded his arms with sadness. There were still no tears falling from his eyes. “I can’t tell you. But I made a promise, and I mean to keep it.” His little sister stared at her brother with wide, angry eyes that had the same burning grey fierceness as their mother. “Villalh-khan akhkni. Idiot child.” She turned and stormed out of her brother’s room, stopping only when she stood in his doorway with her back facing him. “You better come back! You promised to tell me everything!” She slammed his door, and left. He looked only at the emerging stars, slowly feeling his heart break. ‘I’ve made so many promises. And I intend to keep them all.’ Still, the tears would not come. “Silverius. Jütenas. Rosaria. Cidolas. Martessa.” The names, the promises, the duties. Both of his eyes shone with the Tyrant Eyes and he shook with torn emotion, but still no tears would come. Suddenly he realized he was not alone in his room. One of the people he swore to save was there with him. With his eyes burning painful golden, Vik turned to the blond swordsman. “It’s about time you showed up.” Cidolas stepped out of the shadows in Vik’s room with a dark green cloak on his shoulders. “We come with allies. Tonight, it begins.” Vik looked at the visible coloration of the cloak with surprise, and a memory triggered in his head. “Wha… What are you doing, wearing that? Who are these allies?” “Worry not, Hero of Flame. They have been tested.” Cidolas tilted his head and looked the Hyusei son over. “Your abilities have been refined. Good. You will need them.” “We’re going to Silverius, right? We’re going to save him.” Cidolas nodded. “Yes, our objective is the Hero of Wind, if he can still be salvaged. But first, there is something you must take care of yourself.” The shorter man walked to Vik’s window and opened it before setting foot on the sill. “The Knight comes. We will await you at the beach where you surfaced.” Just like that, as fast as he appeared, the male Cidolas leapt from the window into the darkness, and vanished. Vik stood in silent awe for a moment, allowing the information and suddenly changing situation to slowly sink into his skin. His entire soul still felt heavy from the sorrowful memories experienced just a short while before, but now he had a mission. A purpose. Something to throw his energy in. That was good. He took a moment to prepare and take everything he needed out of his room. A small knife and pistol kept in his drawers, a fresh set of dark brown clothes and tall boots, and a small backpack to hold the Crystal of Flame. Finally, he tossed Jütenas’ violet scarf around his neck despite the heat of the quickly-oncoming summer. Silently and with a determined frown on his full lips, Vik left his room and started going downstairs. Rosaria’s door was closed, as was the door to his father’s study. Both rooms were occupied. He hesitated in front of each, wondering if he should say goodbye, or that he loved them both, or that he would be back – but he decided against it. Time was of the essence, he reasoned. As it turned out, someone was waiting to say goodbye to him in the foyer of the mansion, anyway. “My, what perfect timing.” The Black Knight, still in his casual outfit but with bright golden eyes shining in the darkness, was leaning against the front door of the house. “I was just leaving. And where were you planning to go, child?” Vik stood at the bottom step to the foyer, one hand on the strap of his backpack and the other at his waist. He said nothing, and forced his mind to race in overtime. As hard as he had been thinking, Vik had not been able to come up with a conclusive way to escape without losing either his life or his family, and was banking on the possibility of slipping past the Black Knight’s vigil. But now he was caught red-handed, and he could only fight or flee. Returning to his room was not an option. The only odds in his benefit at the moment was the element of surprise. The Black Knight didn’t know that he had the Crystal in his possession, nor could he know that Vik had extensive skill with the Tyrant Eyes now. If he took the Knight by surprise it would be easy to set him aflame and kill him, but Vik had not practice control of the flames at all; there was a very high possibility that the entire house would catch flames and burn down within seconds. That was a risk he could not take… and there was a very low chance he would win in a fight against this man without making use of his flames. “You have a choice,” the Knight said as he stepped forward and crossed his arms. “You can go back inside your room and let the Wind and Runic Children die, and allow the Leader’s plans to continue flawlessly. You can fight me right now and join them in death, and allow our plans to continue flawlessly. Or you can walk right past me, saving the Children and interfering with our plans… and your family dies.” Sweat began to trickle down Vik’s forehead, and his hands balled into fists so tight his nails threatened to break skin. He looked everywhere but in the Black Knight’s piercing golden eyes, struggling to contain the tingling in his eyes and the turmoil in his heart. “What kind of fucked up choice is this…?!” He groaned from behind gritted teeth. Still no tears fell from his eyes, no matter how provoked they were. The blond Knight only smiled with his teeth and laughed sadistically. “Yours.” Promises. So many promises he made, and had to keep. He could see the faces of everyone he had let down flashing in his mind, and everyone he was going to let down. Disappointments, blood dripping down lips, and corpses. He swore not to break anymore promises, but… This was bigger than himself, Vik soon realized. This was more than just which promises he had to keep. This was about who he could save: his family, or the world. He took a step forward, then another, until he was walking past the Black Knight. With every step, the Knight’s smile widened. When he was right next to the Knight, the older man whispered: “I’m going to enjoy breaking Rosaria.” Vik froze. His eyes blazed bright with the Tyrant powers, and his entire body shook with heightened emotions, but he did not turn around. He did not move. “Do not kill her,” he ground out, “or you will not have a chance to kill me. Because I will give you the most painful death imaginable.” The two didn’t make eye contact, nor did the Black Knight move or say anything else. In his stead, Vik started walking forward again until he left the mansion, making sure to grab his father’s car keys off the table in front of the door. He closed the door behind him slowly, walked with measured steps towards his father’s truck, and started to drive back up towards the beach. His body continued to shake, and he could only breathe by way of his nose, so tight were his teeth clenched. He never wanted to cry as much as he did now, but his eyes would not allow any condensation to flow. He wanted to turn the car around and drive it straight into the Black Knight before backing up and driving over the man’s body over and over again, but he had to focus. The world. His promises. This was bigger than all of him. “Silverius. Jütenas. Rosaria. Cidolas. Martessa.” Only the names, repeated to himself ad naseum, kept him focused. His eyes tingled every time he got to Rosaria’s name. They were not the same eyes, not anymore to the same man, not anymore. All the world looked different; darker; less forgiving. Less appealing. Vik saw no marvel in the countryside around him as he drove north in the dark. His drive was silent. A small black boat with a figure in a hooded cloak in it stood out to him as he stopped the car near the north beach. Vik slammed the door behind him, gathered his backpack, and silently started to walk down towards the shore. It was surprisingly cold at this time of night; a hearty sea breeze blew by, tossing about Vik’s black hair, and chill cut through the black sweater he wore. He was glad the precious scarf was still on his neck, at least. ‘Jütenas...’ The boat near the shore wasn’t very far away when two familiar presences walked up from behind Vik. He stopped, looking back at the two hooded newcomers, and deactivated his Tyrant Eyes. Two hooded peoples of the same height were likely Cidolas, and they wouldn’t be hostile to him, so he didn’t need to sap his own energy more than was necessary. One of the figures lowered their hood, and Cidolas’ shock of familiar blond hair came to light. The red-eyed male looked Vik over with satisfaction without speaking. “You’ve returned quickly with minimal injuries. The Crystal’s influence on you has been beneficial, we see.” Vik lowered his eyes, allowing a spark of sadness to burn through his cloak of hatred. “I did what I had to do.” He sniffed, but still no tears would come. “Let’s hurry.” The second figure walked forward, their shadowed face appearing to stare at Vik’s own, before a moment passed and they removed their hood. The woman underneath the shadows had long red hair pulled up in a complicated bun with graceful wisps framing her thin face – she was decidedly not the female Cidolas. “So it is you,” she whispered. “The other Crystal wielder. I really found you…” “Wait, what?” Vik looked at her with surprise. “Who else has one? Who are you?” She bit her lip and crossed her arms. “I’m Karilyn Red. I was with Silverius, in Shorekeep. I’m so glad I found you… so we really do have a chance at saving him!” Vik looked from Karilyn to Cidolas with surprise. “So this is the ally… We’re not too late, then?” Cidolas only nodded and started walking back towards the shore. Taking the hint, Karilyn followed, pulling Vik’s arm as she walked ahead. As an afterthought, she dug into her cloak and tossed Vik an identical one, heavy and hooded with unmistakable dark green fabric. Vik looked down at it with puzzlement. “Wait,” he said, “these are definitely the robes Ouroboros members wear. What’s going on here, Cidolas? How did you get these?” As he looked forward and to the silhouette standing in the boat that was just barely big enough for four people comfortably, Vik looked at the two in front of him with surprise. “Is that your other body? No, they’re too tall… Cidolas, I don’t understand.” The blond only threw a quick glance at Vik before wading into the water and stepping into the rocking skiff. “The past two months have been very fruitful for us. We have gained many important allies, and the mechanisms of the changing world are as ever in need of control.” This answered nothing, of course. Vik was the last to get into the boat, and before he pulled himself out of the water completely, he allowed himself a look back at his father’s truck, the beach of his childhood, and the nation of his home. It had taken so long for him to return, and now he was leaving again… for duty. For a purpose. A real reason. That didn’t help his heart one bit – it tingled, lurched, and stung within him, to think of his father and sister. ‘I love you,’ he thought to the far-off sleeping body of Rosaria Hyusei. ‘Goodbye.’ As much as he yearned for it, his feelings could not become tears. Now, they could only be actions. Vik turned, pulled himself into the boat, and zipped on his dark green cloak in solidarity with his allies. As Cidolas started towards the bridge of the skiff and start its engines, the solitary hooded figure walked toward Vik and started to lower that which covered their visage. Vik looked at them and, without his control, his Tyrant Eyes flared into existence once again as long violet-brunette hair cascaded from the freed hood. The Chosen Knight met his Tyrant Eyes with her own. ...End of Part Forty-Two. <- Previous Page | Main Page | Next Page->